Rotary railroad car dumper car clamp latch



R. H- SABIN Feb. 1, 1966 ROTARY RAILROAD CAR DUMPER CAR CLAMP LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2,

INVENTOR. /B4YMOND H 5215/! BY Feb. L 1965 R. H. SABIN ROTARY RAILROAD CAR BUMPER CAR CLAMP LATCH 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed March 2, 1964 INVENTOR. RAy/www H \SABM/ BY ,jwzawfi MW United States Patent 3,232,459 ROTARY RAILROAD TAR BUMPER CAR CLAMP LATCH Raymond E. Sabin, leveland, Ohio, assignor to McDowell-Weliman Engineering Company, a corporation of @hio Filed Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,669 13 Claims. (Cl. 21455) This invention relates, as indicated, to latching means for securing railroad car clamps in a rotary railroad car dumping apparatus.

In the handling of bulk materials by railroad car, it is now a common expedient to introduce loaded railroad cars, e.g. coal cars, one or two at a time into a rotary railroad car dumping apparatus. In such apparatus, the railroad cars are rotated about an axis generally longitudinally passing through the center of gravity of the railroad cars, and quite frequently about an axis extending between the draft gear or couplers located at each end of the car. The extent of rotation is generally no more than about 155 to effect a cascading of the material contained within a car over one of the side walls thereof. The material thus cascaded is collected in a hopper disposed below the car dumping apparatus from which point it is transferred, usually by means of belt conveyors to a desired point such as, for example, a collier.

Numerous clamping devices have been developed for securing the railroad car or cars to the trackway which extends through the rotary car dumper so that the car or cars do not become separated from the track during the dumping operation. By far the most effective clamping mechanisms useful in this regard are hydraulically operated. Such a clamping mechanism enables a wider range of variation in the car side wall height above the rail. Although uniformity in the height of railroad cars above the rail is much sought after, it is seldom achieved because of variations in car loading, the spring characteristics of the support maens, etc. Thus adaptability of the clamping means to a wide variety of railroad car top rail elevations is desired.

One of the limitations, however, upon a hydraulically operated clamping system is that in the event of failure of a hydraulic line supplying one or more of the several clamps associated with each car, usually four, considerable damage can be done to both the apparatus and the railroad car. This invention solves this problem by providing a unique latching mechanism to securely lock the clamp when in the clamped position.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but a few of the various forms in which the principle of this invention may be employed.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial end view of a rotary railroad car dumper showing a railroad car in relation to the car clamping mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the clamp showing the latching mechanism as it appears in the plane indicated by the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the clamp and the latching mechanism as it appears in the plane indicated by the line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the latching mechanism and clamp taken in the plane indicated by the line 44 in FIG. 2.

Briefly stated, this invention is in a latching mechanism for railroad car clamps of the type used in rotary railroad 3,232,459 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 ice car dumpers. These dumpers have clamping means for clamping the cars to a fixed trackway which extends through the car dumper cradle, so that the car or cars remain secured to the track when in a tilted position. These clamp means are slid-ably secured to the side walls and to the floor of the cradle. In accordance herewith, there is provided a latching mechanism for securely holding the slidable clamp in a fixed clamping position. The latching mechanism comprises a latch guiding means slidably secured to a side wall of the cradle. The longitudinal axis of said latch guiding means is angularly disposed to that of the clamp means. A latch is slidably, pivotally secured to the latch guiding means at one extremity. Secured at its other extremity are tooth means for lockingly engaging a toothed portion provided on the clamp means. Also provided are advancing and retracting means for driving the latch into and out of engagement with the toothed portion of the clamp.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 and more particularly to FIG. 1 of the annexed drawings, there is shown a railroad car, generally indicated at 5, in a rotary railroad car dumper cradle only partially shown, having fixed sides 6 and 7, and a fixed coextending trackway S. A conventional railroad car is diagrammatically represented and supported on trucks, for example, the truck generally indicated at 9. These trucks are located adjacent the front and rear of each car. In accordance herewith there is provided, in the cradle, a clamp on each side of the cradle adjacent each of said trucks, for example, adjacent the truck 5 and slidably affixed to the Walls 6 and 7, are clamps 1t and 11 respectively, which are adapted to clamp the railroad car 5 to the trackway 8. Each of these clamps is adapted to slide within a clamp guide or chase ailixed to the cradle Walls. For example, the clamp is adapted to slide within a clamp guide generally indicated at 12, which is aflixed to the side walls 6. These clamps comprise a body portion having a toothed rack portion disposed along its its outer marginal edge and a head or hook portion for engaging the top marginal edge of the car body, for example, the clamp 10 has a body portion 1 5, having a toothed rack portion 15, and a head portion 13. In this embodiment of the invention, the lower extremities of said clamps are affixed to an hydraulically operated raising and lowering ram, for example, the clamp 19 is raised and lowered by an attached hydraulically operated piston in the cylinder 16. The cylinder 16 is suitably anchored to the bottom of the cradle, generally indicated at 3.

Referring particularly to the clamp 19, when said clamp is in a fully clamped position as indicated by the broken line position in FIG. 1, the latching mechanism, generally indicated at 20, is adapted to lockingly engage the toothed edge portion of the clamp 10, as seen in the broken line drawing of FIG. 4. The clamp guide means 12, adapted to guide the clamp 10 as it is raised or lowered, comprises a chase or recess 17 formed by two inwardly extending guides 18 and 19 (FIG. 3), which are affixed along one marginal edge to the side wall 6. Fastened at the other marginal edge of the guides 18 and 19 are oppositely disposed clamp guides 21 and 22 respectively. The clamp 10 is guided in the chase or recess 17 by clamp flanges 23 and 24 on said clamp coacting with guides 21 and 22 respectively.

A pair of latch supporting plates 25 and 27, between which, the latching mechanism is slidaibly aflixed, are secured to the inner side or recess side of guides 18 and 19 respectively, adjacent the clamp 10 by suitable fastening means, e.g. bolts 26. Each of said latch supporting plates and 27, adjacent the clamp 10 is provided with latch guide means generally indicated at 4, which aids in guiding the latching mechanism 29 into interlocking relation with said clamp. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the latch guide means 4 comprises a pair of oppositely and angularly disposed crosshead ways or guide brackets, for example the guide brackets 28 and 29 of the latch supporting plate 25 as best seen in FIG. 4. These brackets are adapted to guide a pair of similar but oppositely disposed s-liding CI'OSShC EUdS or pivot plates 39 and 31 towards the clamp, for example brackets 28 and 29 are adapted to guide the sliding crosshead or pivot plate 31 towards clamp 10. The pivot plates 30 and 31 each have an axially elongated slot in which a pivot pin 39 is slida-bly and pivotally secured. For example, the latch 36 is pivotally secured to the latch in 39 which is pivotally and slidably secured in the slot 32 of the pivot plate 31 and a corresponding slot 32a in the pivot plate 30 respectively. The axis along which the pivot plates 30 and 31 slide, as they slide toward the lower extremity of the clamp 10, converges toward the vertical or longitudinal axis of the clamp 10. In this embodiment of the invention the angle between these axes is acute. The pivot plates are secured to the clamp frame by spring means, for example, the pivot plate 31 is secured to a bracket 34 which is affixed to the latch supporting plate 25 by a pivot plate retention spring 35. Spring 35 is secured to the bracket 34 and the pivot plate 31 by suitable fastening means, e.g. adjustable eye screws or bolts 33.

The latch 36, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, is composed of a pair of similar L-shaped dogs or arms 37 and 38 fastened in parallel spaced relation to a pawl or plate 41. As previously indicated, the latch 36 is slidably secured at one extremity to the pivot plates 30 and 31 by a pivot pin 39. Located at the other extremity of the latch 36, and secured to the pawl 41 is a tooth 42, which is adapted to lockingly engage the toothed rack portion 15 of the clamp 10. The latch 36 is pivotally connected to an adapter piston rod connector 43 by a pin 44 adjacent the pivot pin 39, and intermediate the extremities of the latch 36 at the vertex of the L-shaped latch. The piston rod connector 43 is threadedly secured to a driving means generally indicated at 52. In this embodiment of the invention, the driving means 52, for advancing and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack, is a hydraulically operated piston 45 in a cylinder 46. It should be understood that the piston rod connector 43 may be integral with the piston 45. The driving means 52 is pivotally secured to the clamp walls 18 and 19 by a trunion 53 which allows for slight rotary motion of the drive means about the axis of the trunion 53. The axis of the cylinder 46 is angularly disposed to the axis of the clamp at a greater angle than that of the pivot plates 30 and 31. Secured to the pawl 41 adjacent tooth 42, by any suitable fastening means, e.g. eye bolts 44), is a latch rotating helper spring 47. The other extremity of the helper spring 47 is secured to the piston adapter 43 by any suitable fastening means, e.g. eye screws 48. Spring 47 is adapted to aid disengagement of the tooth 42 of latch 36 from the toothed or notched rack of the clamp 10.

Slidable pivot plates 30 and 31 are provided with slots 32a and 32, respectively to allow axial movement to the latch 36. This movement of the latch 36 is necessary when the latch mechanism 21} engages and disengages the toothed rack portion 15 of the clamp 10, for example, when the tooth 42 of the latch 36, is pivoted into locking relation with the toothed rack 15 of the clamp 10, it will not always seat perfectly against a complementary toothed surface 49 of the toothed rack 15 as seen in the broken line drawing in FIG. 4. Because of diiferences in the height of railroad cars, some axial movement of the latch 36 may be necessary to perfectly seat the tooth 42, against the complementary toothed surface of the clamp 11) when it is in the clamped position against the top marginal edge of a given railroad car. Also, when the railroad car is unloaded the compressed springs of the trucks, for example springs indicated at 2 of the truck 9 as seen in FIG. 1, will assume their less fully compressed position. This upward movement applies an upward axial force against the fixed clamps, which in turn exerts force against the tooth 42 of the latch 36 of the latching device 21). It would be impractical to disengage the latching device from the clamp by simply pivoting the arm away from the clamp, for it would be highly probable that either the tooth of the latch or the engaged tooth of the clamp would break. Accordingly by providing the latch 36 with enough axial movement, it can be moved away from the rising clamp 10 enough that the tooth 42 is freed from rack 49 and the latch 36 can readily be pivoted back into unlocked position, without unduly stressing any teeth on either the clamp or the latch. For these reasons, it is important that the pivot plates not only be slidable, but also have elongated pivot receiving slots. A suficient amount of axial movement of the latch is thus provided to permit ready locking and unlocking regardless of the position of the clamp relative to the latch arm, before dumping, and during and after dumping, respectively.

A cover plate 50 is provided to keep material from falling against or into the latching mechanism 20. A spacer plate 51 is fastened between the section 18 and 19 forming the chase 17 to keep said plates in fixed spaced relation while providing further protection for the latching mechanism.

In operation, then, the railroad car or cars are introduced into the rotary dumper to a predetermined location therein. Sensing means, such as limited switches, may be provided to signal the arrival of the car or cars at the predetermined location, whereupon the hydraulic pumps actuating the front and rear clamps are actuated, When the clamps are seated against the top edges of the railroad car, suitable control means signal this condition and cause the latches of the present invention to be actuated in the manner previously described. When the contents of the car have been dumped therefrom the rerighting of the car dumper cradle again actuated mechanism, e.g. by limit switch, or the like, causing the latches coacting with each of the clamps to be released, and the hydraulically operated clamps to be raised so that the railroad car is free then to be moved from the car dumper.

Other modes of aplying the principle of this invention may be employed instead of those specifically set forth above, changes being made as regards the details herein disclosed, provided the elements set forth in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such be employed.

It is, therefore, particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed as the invention:

1. A railroad car clamp for a rotary railroad car dumper comprising in combination:

(a) a clamping member slidable vertically in a chase mounted on a car dumper frame;

(b) a toothed rack secured to said member;

(c) latch guiding means mounted adjacent the toothed rack for movement along an axis at an acute angle to said rack;

(d) a latch slidably and pivotally mounted to the latch guiding means for movement relative thereto and for movement therewith, one extremity of said latch being rotatable into and out of engagement with said rack; and

(e) means coacting with the latch for moving the latch relative to, and together with, the latch guiding means, and for rotating the extremity of the latch, the latch being movable relative to the latch guiding means to absorb spring biased movement of a railroad car as it is unloaded, and the latch being movable with the latch guiding means to permit seating and unseating of said latch extremity with a tooth of said rack.

2. A railroad car clamp for use in a rotary railroad car dumper comprising in combination:

(a) a clamp member slidable vertically in a chase mounted on a car dumper frame;

(b) a toothed rack secured to said member;

(c) a substantially L-shaped latch one extremity of which is interlockingly engageable with said toothed rack;

(d) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(e) at least one latch guiding crosshead slidable between said pair of parallel crossheadways;

(f) pivot means coacting between said crossheads and the remaining free extremity of said latch; and

(g) driving means for advancing and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack.

3. A railroad car clamp for use in a rotary railroad car dumper comprising in combination:

(a) a clamping member slidable vertically in a chase mounted on a car damper frame;

(b) a toothed rack secured to said member;

(c) a substantially L-shaped latch one extremity of which is interlockingly engageable with said toothed rack;

(d) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(e) at least one latch guiding crosshead having an axial elongated slot, and slidable between said pair oi parallel crossheadways;

(f) pivot means secured to the remaining free extremity of said latch and slidable in said slot; and

(g) driving means secured to said latch intermediate the free extremities for advancing and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack.

4. A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the driving means is a hydraulic ram, the axis of which is angularly disposed parallel to the axis of the crosshead sliding ways.

5. A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein spring biasing means coacts between each crosshead and said frame in tension to return said crosshead to a retracted position to permit disengagement of said interlockingly engageable free extremity of said latch from said rack.

6. A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein fastening means are used to secure said driving means to said frame.

7. A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance wit claim 6 wherein the fastening means includes pivot means whereby said driving means is permitted to rotate about an axis transverse to the axis along which said latch is advanced and retracted.

8. A railroad car clamp for use in a rotary railroad car dumper comprising in combination:

(a) a clamping member slidable vertically in a chase mounted on a car dumper frame;

(b) a toothed rack secured to said member;

(c) a substantially L-shaped latch one extremity of which is interlockingly engageable with said toothed rack;

(d) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(e) at least one latch guiding crosshead having an axial elongated slot and slidabie between said pair of parallel crossheadways;

(f) pivot means secured to the remaining free extremity of said latch and slidable in said slot;

g) driving means pivotally secured intermediate the free extremities of said L-shaped latch for advancirtg and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack; and

(h) biasing means coacting between said driving means and a point on said latch arm intermediate the free interlockingly engageable extremity and the point of attachment of said driving means of said latch for holding said pivot means adjacent one end of said slot to facilitate pivotal disengagement of said latch from said toothed rack.

9. A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein spring biasing means coacts between each crosshead and said frame in tension to return said crosshead to a retracted position to permit disengagement of said interlockingly engageable free extremity of said latch from said rack.

it A railroad car clamp apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said spring biasing means between each crosshead and said frame is heavier and less elastic and resilient than said spring biasing means between said latch and said driving means.

11. A railroad car clamp for use in a rotary railroad car dumper comprising in combination:

(a) a clamping member slidable vertically in a chase mounted on a car dumper frame;

(b) a toothed rack secured to said member;

(c) a substantially L-shaped latch comprising a compound member including a pair of substantially L- shaped arms disposed in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides of an intermediate plate rigidly cou pling said arms together for unitary pivotal movement, said latch having at one extremity tooth means to interlockinnly engage said toothed rack;

(d) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(e) at least one latch guiding crosshead having a longitudinal pivot slot extending along a line parallel to the axis along which said crosshead slides, said crosshead slidable between said pair of parallel crossheadways;

(i) spring biasing means coacting between each of said crossheads and said frame, to return said crossheads to their retracted position to permit disengagement of the tooth means of said latch from said toothed rack;

(g) pivot means coasting between said pivot receiving slot of each of said crossheads and the remaining free extremity of said latch;

(h) driving means pivotally secured intermediate the free extremities of said latch for advancing and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack;

(i) fastening means used to secure said driving means to said frame, said fastening means including pivot means whereby said driving means is permitted to rotate about an axis transverse to the axis along which said latch is advanced and retracted;

(j) spring biasing means coacting between said driving means and a point on said latch intermediate the toothed extremity of said latch and the point of attachment of said driving means to said latch for holding said pivot means adjacent one end of said slot to facilitate pivotal disengagement of said latch from said toothed rack, said spring biasing means aflixed to said latch being lighter and more elastic and resilient than said spring biasing means affixed to said crossheads.

12. In a clamping device having a clamp member slidably secured to a frame and a toothed rack secured to the member, a latching mechanism comprising in combination:

(a) a substantially L-shaped latch comprising a compound member including a pair of substantially L- shaped arms disposed in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides of an intermediate plate rigidly coupling said arms together for unitary pivotal movement, said latch having at one extremity tooth means to interlockingly engage said toothed rack;

(b) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(c) at least one latch guiding crosshead having a longitudinal pivot receiving slot extending along a line parallel to the axis along which said crosshead slides, said crosshead slidable between said pair of parallel crossheadways;

(d) spring biasing means coacting between said crosshead and said frame, to return said crosshead to its retracted position to permit disengagement of the tooth means of said latch from said toothed rack;

(e) pivot means coacting between said pivot receiving slot of said crosshead and the remaining free extremity of said latch;

(f) driving means pivotally secured intermediate the free extremities of said latch for advancing and retracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack; and

(g) fastening means used to secure said driving means to said frame, said fastening means including pivot means whereby said driving means is permitted to rotate about an axis transverse to the axis along which said latch is advanced and retracted.

13. In' a clamping device having a clamp member slidably secured to a frame and a toothed rack secured to the member, a latching mechanism comprising in combination:

(a) a substantially L-shaped latch comprising a compound member including a pair of substantially L- shaped arms disposed in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides of an intermediate plate rigidly coupling said arms together for unitary pivotal movement, said latch having at one extremity tooth means to interlockingly engage said toothed rack;

(b) at least one pair of parallel crossheadways disposed adjacent said rack and parallel to an axis lying at an acute angle with respect to said rack;

(c) at least one latch guiding crosshead having a longitudinal pivot receiving slot extending along a line parallel to the axis along which said crosshead slides, said crosshead slidable between said pair of parallel crossheadways,

((1) spring biasing means coacting between said crosshead and said frame, to return said crosshead to its retracted position to permit disengagement of the tooth means of said latch from said toothed rack;

(e) pivot means coacting between said pivot receiving slot of said crosshead and the remaining free extremity of said latch;

(f) driving means pivotally secured intermediate the free extremities of said latch for advancing and re tracting said latch into and out of engagement with said toothed rack;

(g) fastening means used to secure said driving means to said frame, said fastening means including pivot means whereby said driv ng means is permitted to rotate about an axis transverse to the axis along which said latch is advanced and retracted; and

(h) spring biasing means coasting between said driving means and a point on said latch intermediate the toothed extremity of said latch and the point of attachment of said driving means to said latch for holding said pivot means adjacent one end of said slot to facilitate pivotal disengagement of said latch from said toothed rack, said spring biasing means affixed to said latch being lighter and more elastic and resilient than said spring biasing means aflixed to said crossheads.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,821,217 9/1931 Heaton et a1. 2l455 2,381,723 8/1945 Crist 2l455 2,659,500 11/1953 Kincaid 2l4-55 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. 

13. IN A CLAMPING DEVICE HAVING A CLAMP MEMBER SLIDABLY SECURED TO A FRAME AND A TOOTHED RACK SECURED TO THE MEMBER, A LATCHING MECHANISM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED LATCH COMPRISING A COMPOUND MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY LSHAPED ARMS DISPOSED IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN INTERMEDIATE PLATE RIGIDLY COUPLING SAID ARMS TOGETHER FOR UNITARY PIVOTAL MOVEMENT, SAID LATCH HAVING AT ONE EXTREMITY TOOTH MEANS TO INTERLOCKINGLY ENGAGE SAID TOOTHED RACK; (B) AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF PARALLEL CROSSHEADWAYS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID RACK AND PARALLEL TO AN AXIS LYING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID RACK; (C) AT LEAST ONE LATCH GUIDING CROSSHEAD A LONGITUDINAL PIVOT RECEIVING SLOT EXTENDING ALONG A LINE PARALLEL TO THE AXIS ALONG WHICH SAID CROSSHEAD SLIDES, SAID CROSSHEAD SLIDABLE BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF PARALLEL CROSSHEADWAYS, (D) SPRING BIASING MEANS COACTING BETWEEN SAID CROSSHEAD AND SAID FRAME, TO RETURN SAID CROSSHEAD TO ITS RETRACTED POSITION TO PERMIT DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TOOTH MEANS OF SAID LATCH FROM SAID TOOTHED RACK; (E) PIVOT MEANS COACTING BETWEEN SAID PIVOT RECEIVING SLOT OF SAID CROSSHEAD AND THE REMAINING FREE EXTREMITY OF SAID LATCH; (F) DRIVING MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURED INTERMEDIATE THE FREE EXTREMITIES OF SAID LATCH FOR ADVANCING AND RETRACTING SAID LATCH INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TOOTHED RACK; 